Wolves of Hogwarts
by Dear Pigfarts. Love the Doctor
Summary: You know about the Werewolf of Hogwarts, his story has been told. But what happens when a second joins his midst? (AU!Second wolf, not OC) (Written for a Hogwarts Assignment)


_Breathe_. He could hear a voice whispering to him, but for the life of him he could not find the source. _Breathe_. There is was again spurring him on, helping him keep the rhythm, helping him stay alive. _Breathe._ He eyes were so heavy and he felt a weight on his chest that he could not lift. _Breathe._ There was a pain. It was not soft, or dull; it was not limited to an area but instead radiated across his entire being. He felt electrified. _Breathe._ He could feel something pulsing in his veins, something was moving, shifting, yearning to break free. _Breathe._ I cannot let it. I cannot – I can't…

~-.-~

"He's not breathing! Madame Pomfrey!" The boy screamed, his bagged eyes had shot awake when strange sounds began coming from his best-friend. The woman rushed over, her wand ready.  
"Out of the way, Mr Black!" she placed her hand on his chest, pushing Sirius from the bed-side. She was muttering incantations for the next minute before he saw movement in his friends' chest. Sirius let out the breath he did not know he had been holding, and slumped into the seat behind him in relief. His heart was racing and his head was pounding. With a suddenly sick feeling in his stomach, Sirius leaned forward in his chair, his head in his hands.  
"Mr Black, please. You need to rest. I don't want you being sick on the floor because you've barely slept, and I haven't seen you eat a bite either. It's been three days," the school nurse looked worriedly at the teen, his face was hollowing out and he looked more dead than alive.  
"I can't leave him!" His words came out barley more than a whisper, emotion etched into every syllable. His heart felt so full and completely empty at the same time that he could not help it when tears sprung to his red-lined eyes.  
"I'll keep both eyes trained on him, Sirius. I will not let him die on my watch." He looked up at her and sighed, letting his head fall as he stood, swaying slightly. He shuffled the few steps to the bed side and laid his hand softly on his friends pale one.  
"You promised, remember? You told me you'd never die. Don't give up on me now, Prongs! All you have to do is _breathe._ "

~-.-~

Just outside the door stood another boy. His face was pale and eyes sunken. There were small cuts across his cheek and what looked like dog claw scratches trailing all the way from his ear to his collar bone. Madame Pomfrey had offered to fix these, but the boy had refused saying he need a reminder of the worst day of his life. Remus Lupin watched as Sirius held James' hand, his back to him. James had promised that nothing bad would happen if they stayed in their animagus form throughout the full moon, and he may have been right. But how could they have expected Severus turning up just as Remus shifted? James, he had –

Remus turned from the Hospital Wing. He could not deal with any more guilt than the fact that he had bitten one of his best friends as they attempted to save another classmate. How could he have been so reckless? So reckless to have come here, to believe that he could lead a normal life, to have friends? Remus was so busy in his mind that he almost ran into the Headmaster as he walked away.  
"Mr Lupin!" The old man said dramatically gaining the boys' attention.  
"Sorry, Professor."  
"Where are you headed? Surely you would want to be by Mr Potter's side?" He looked confused, but Remus could see beneath that. The Headmaster knew what Remus was feeling and knew why the boy was not with his friend.  
"I'm sure he will forgive you," Dumbledore gave him a small, warm smile. Remus shook his head.  
"How could he!? I have ruined his life! Even if he's not like me… he'll – He's going to have those scars forever," Remus choked, hot tears brimming in his eyes. He angrily pushed them away. He was not allowed to feel sorry for himself. The Professor placed a hand on the werewolf's shoulder.  
"Mr Potter knew the risks," Dumbledore sighed. "Mr Lupin, you have to understand, he will not blame you for what the wolf did. You have no control over him. You may blame yourself, and I believe that Mr Black partly blames himself for his involvement." Remus' brow furrowed, trying to think why that would be, then suddenly –  
"Severus!"  
"Yes. Mr Black confessed to me that Mr Snape was only present because of a prank he was attempting to play." Remus took a deep breath to calm himself, he could not afford to get angry at Sirius. Not when Sirius was already so mad at him.  
"Mr Lupin, I would like to talk to you more privately. Would you be able to accompany me to my office?" Dumbledore said softly, holding his hand out before him, guiding Remus to walk.

Remus stayed silent as they walked. His eyes trained on his feet and the ground before him. He did not want to hear what the Headmaster was going to say, but he knew that he had to take any responsibility and punishment that came to him. Dumbledore gracefully took his seat behind the desk and motioned for Remus to sit. He took his seat before Professor Dumbledore and waited.  
"I'm going to be expelled, aren't I?" he whispered as calmly as he could manage. Dumbledore's twinkling eyes narrowed as he looked at Remus.  
"Patience, Mr Lupin." This sentence cause Remus' heart to beat increasingly faster, he could suddenly feel the pulse in his throat. Each minute that passed felt like hours as he watch sand dribble through an antique hourglass that stood between an old clock and a brass object he could not identify. The door opened behind him and Remus knew before he turned who had entered the office.

"Remus!" His mother cried as she ran to her son. "Are you okay?" Remus face shifted into an expression of surprise and terror. He knew they would have had to call his parents but he was hoping to put off the look of utter disappointment and loathing for as long as possible. As Remus looked into his mothers' face, though, he did not see either of those things. All he saw was fear and concern.  
"As fine as I can be," he said as he was crushed into a hug. Standing just behind her was his father, whose face was similar to what he expected. Without greeting his son, Mr Lupin walked towards Dumbledore, extending his hand.  
"Thank you for calling us, Albus," he said stiffly, shaking his hand.  
"Of course, Lyall, I have and will always inform you before the ministry is contacted, which in this case, I hope will not happen."

Remus' stomach dropped. This entire time he had worried that Sirius and James would hate him forever, or that he would be forced to leave the school; but never did it cross his mind that his action could cause the ministry to take action.  
"Am I going to go to Azkaban?" The words fell from his lips before he could stop them. The three adults looked to him.  
"That is something we are trying to avoid, Mr Lupin," Dumbledore spoke calmly, and for the first time, his calm only made Remus' stress increase. He felt as though the air around him was getting thin; he suddenly found it hard to breathe, as though someone was holding his lungs and squeezing.  
"Remus," he heard his father call, suddenly the anger fell from the older Lupin's face and the only emotion to be seen was fear.  
"Baby, what's wrong?" Remus could hear his mother's voice in his ear, but could no longer comprehended her words. The next thing his saw was her face as everything went black. He _hated_ panic attacks.

~-.-~

His knuckles hit the door harder than he had meant to. The knock echoing down the hall and spiral staircase as he waited for the Headmaster's permission to enter. Seconds passed and he impatiently shifted his weight from one foot to the other.  
"Enter," a voice finally called. He was not sure what he was expecting, but Remus lying unconscious in a woman (who he guess to be his mother)'s arms, while Professor Dumbledore and another man stood watching the pair. Dumbledore was bent over his desk, his attention completely on the unconscious student in his office. His eyes darted up to the door for a moment before he said, calmly:  
"Mr Black, come, sit." He then conjured a chair a few feet from where Remus was. Within seconds he had been revived, his face resting on the woman's shoulder.  
"Do not worry, Hope. Your son will be fine," Dumbledore reassured her as she clutched to her weary son. Sirius did as he was told, glancing back and forth between Dumbledore, Remus, and Mrs Lupin. Remus turned his head to look at Sirius, seeming to just realise he was there. A pained look graced his features and he looked away. Sirius frowned at his friends' weird actions.

The adults continued talking. Mr Lupin, as a representative for the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, told Dumbledore that, as long as Mr Potter or his parents do not charge, then his department need not know about Remus' actions.  
"... and in the case that James is a - werewolf... he will have to be put on the 'list' at 17. The law, you know, Dumbledore." Dumbledore looked calmly at the Lupins, his fingers pressed together before his lips in thought.  
"So it seems I am in the need to contact the Potters," He said softly before standing. "If you excuse me, this is news that someone should receive in person." He bowed and made his way from the room.

Remus was fully alert now and felt an awkwardness between him and Sirius. His parents were talking together in low voices and Remus knew they would not want to be disturbed. He turned to look at Sirius who was staring at his fingers.  
"I'm sorry!" Remus blurted out, his eyes stinging as fresh tears prickled at the rims. Sirius looked straight at him, his eyes wide but brow creased.  
"Why? None of this is your fault," Sirius replied. Remus just stared at him.  
"You're not mad? If I wasn't your friend, James wouldn't be hurt."  
"Mad? No, just scared. This whole situation is my fault, more than yours. I knew the wolf was dangerous, I just thought that if Snape saw it… he would stop." Sirius looked down, ashamed. Remus wiped the tears from his eyes and thrust himself at Sirius, wrapping his aching arms around his friends' neck. Sobs wracked his body as he felt more relieved than he ever could.  
"I'm positive James will see it my way too," Sirius whispered into his best-friends ear.

There was a knock at the door and the boy moved apart, the Lupins also turning their head to look at the door. It opened slowly and Madame Pomfrey stuck her head in.  
" _He's awake_."


End file.
